Account-file



W. BARR.

ACCOUNT FILE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 25, 1920.

1,361,665, Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

' wt. Esruggilf 7.. IV" 1 a a5 i 19 ZNVENTUR MBA/UM PATENT OFFICE.

WILSON BARR, OF TRENTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

ACCOUNT-FILE.

Application filed February 28, 1920.

of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAccount- Files, of whlch the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in account files of the typeshown and described in my prior United States Patent No. 996197 datedJune 27th, 1911, in which a series of frames hinged together in the formof a hook are supported in a casing so that they may be turned up ordown on horizontal axes to expose either side of each leaf, and myobject is to simplify the constructions for guiding and supporting theleaves, to provide simple, strong and easily operated means forintroducing or removing the bookcof leaves, and to arrange the apparatusso that books containing any desired number of file leaves, withincertain limits, may be employed in any one cabinet.

I attain m'y object by means of the constructions hereinafter describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is aside elevation of my improved account file, partly in section, showingthe book of leaves in an approximately vertical position and therestraining bars raised;

Fig. 2 a similar view from the opposite side of part of the apparatusshowing the restraining bars in their normal operative position;

Fig. 3 1; and

Fig. 1 a detail in front elevation showing the-engagement of the leaveswith the restraining bars and guides; and

Fig. 5 a detail showing particularly one of the links, and projectionthereon, connected to the lower corner of the front leaf.

In the drawing like numerals of reference indicate corresponding partsin the different figures.

1 is the casing suitably shaped to support the different parts. 2 arethe bill-holding leaves connected together by the hinges 3 in the formof a book. The last leaf of the book is supported, by the engagement ofits upper part with some'stationary part, to prevent it ti pingbackward. In the preferred form secure to the upper part of a section onthe line a-a in Fig.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. '7, 1920.

Serial No. 362,152.

its sides the pivot pins 4, which, when the book of leaves is inposition, lie in open bearngs at each side of the casing. These bearlngsare preferably formed in the following manner so that the casing isadapted to receive books containing a greater or lesser number of leavesas may be necessary.

Bars are suitably supported in a fore and aft posltion, one at each sideof the casing near its upper end. To each bar is secured a plurality ofshort stops 6 at different distances from the front of the apparatus. Alonger stop 7 is detachably secured to each bar 5 by means of bolts 8, aplurality of sets of bolt holes for said bolts being provided 1n eachbar so that the longer stops 7 may be secured to the bar to cooperatewith any one of the short stops 6. \Vhen theapparatus is in use, thepivot pins 4 lie in front of the stops 7 and behind one set of the stops6 as shown, so that when the pivot pins are raised out of the openbearings as herein after described, the leaves of the book will not tiltbackward but may tilt forward.

It will be noted that the bars 5 are of angle bar section, the flanges38 thereof extending horizontally inward forming the bottoms of the openbearings. These flanges will hold up the back leaf, by engagement withthe pins at if the book is overloaded with accounts so that the weightcauses the spring supported table 9 to sag a little. The

leaves are supported on the table 9, which is resiliently supported tomove vertically. While any suitable means may be provided for yieldinglysupporting the table, I prefer the mechanism shown. A pair of bentlevers 11 are pivoted on the sides of the casing and are connected bythe cross bar 12 on which are journaled roller 13 engaging the undersideof the table 9. One or more coil springs are provided, each connected atone end to the lower end of one of the levers 11, and .at the other endto the casing. A second pair of levers 14 are pivotally connected to thesides of the casing connected by a cross bar 15 provided with rollers 16engaging the under side of the table at the oppothe cross bars 12 and15. The table is guided vertically by means of suitable projections 18,preferably formed as rollers, which enthe projections 20.

gage opposite sides of the guide bars 19, one of which is secured to thecasing at eachside thereof. y c V To prevent the leaves being forced upbeyond their normal operative position when either horizontal orvertical, I provide each leafat each side of its hinge with a projection20, preferably formed as a roller. These projections are adapted toengage the under sides of the restraining bars 21 which are supportedone at each side of the casing in such a manner as to be verticallyadjustable, or otherwise moved from engagement with When the restrainingbars are in the position shown in Fig. 2, the projections 20, when theleaves are in the upright position, engage beneath the restraining bar,while as each leaf is drawn down to the horizontal positionits'projeetions move downwardly and lie behind the vertical guide bars19. As the leaves-are turned down pressure is exerted on the verticallymovable table tending to depress it as much as may be necessary toaccommodate the number of leaves vided with lateral projections whichare adapted to engage in front of the uide bars 19. To facilitate theengagement of the projections 20 behind the guide bars 19, and theprojections 23 in front of said bars, I

provide each of the vertical guide bars 19 with the forwardly inclinedupward extension 24:.

It will be noted that when the restraining bars 21 are in their normaloperativeposition, they substantially meet theupper ends of the verticalguide bars 19, and the book of leaves is held in position with its pivotpins 4; lying between the pair of stops 7 and one of the pairs of stops6. The leaves may then readily be turned up or down as may benecessary.To remove the book of leaves, it is necessary to raise the restrainingbars. The table will then lift sufliciently far to raise the pivots labove the tops of the lugs 6, behind which they have been engaged.The'book of leaves is then tipped forward and the projections 20 and 23of the frontv leaf pulled Off the inclined extensions 24 of the verticalguides,when the book is free. By a reversal of the process a book isreadily placed in position. 2

While any suitable means may be provided for adjusting the restrainingbars, I prefer to arrange them to slide vertically on the guides 25 and26, which are suitably sup- Pivoted near the forward end ofeach'restraining bar is a latch 30, which latch has a pin and slot connectionwith the slide 28 latch may be moved into or out of position to engage ashoulder 31 formed at the lower end of the front guide 25. A coil spring32 is connected at one end to the restraining bar and at the other endto the pin 33 secured to the slide 28, so that the tension of the springtends to move the slide to a position for its rear end to engage beneaththe lug 29 and also to cause the slide to throw the latch 30 to theposition in which it engages the shoulder 31. The slide is preferablyformed of sheet metal and the outer end is bent to form an inclined lug34 forming convenient means whereby the slide may be operated or used topush down the restraining bar when it is desired to restore it to itsnormal operative position.

As the use of the projections23 tends to raise the first leaf at itshinged edge above the top of the table 9,1 form at opposite sides of thetable raised bosses 35 adapted to engage the outer part of the frontleaf when it isturned down so that the saidleaf will be heldsubstantially parallel to the top of the table. In order that the frontedge of the leaves may remain. exposed when more or less of the book isin horizontal position, the front of the lower part of the casing is cutout. and as an opening would be left when the table is an raisedposition, I secure to the forward edge of the table a roller curtain 36of ordinary type, which passes around the guides 37; r

It will be noted that, as the pivot pins 4 are held in substantiallyfixed position, when only one leaf is up the leaf is inclined somewhatrearwardly, whereas when all the leaves are up, the front leaves areinclined somewhat forwardly. I therefore prefer to extend the sides ofthe casing forwardly,

position, are thus all covered, while the sides of the casing do notoverlap in any way the leaves when the latter are in horizontalposition.

The apparatus as shown is adapted for use so thatby the operation of theslide, the V plurality of account holding leaves hingedtogether so thatthey may be turned to substantially vertical or horizontal position; a.resiliently supported, vertically movable table on which the leaves aresupported; pins projecting from the hinges of the leaves at each side; arestraining bar at each side movable toand from its normal position inwhich it is engaged by the said pins to prevent their vertical movement;and supporting means engageable by the upper part of the back leaf toprevent said leaf falling backward.

2. In an account file, the combination of a plurality of account holdingleaves hinged together so that they may be turned to substantiallyvertical or horizontal position; a resiliently supported, verticallymovable table on which the leaves are supported; pins projecting fromthe hinges of the leaves at each side; a restraining bar at each sidemovable to and from its normal position in which it is engaged by thesaid pins to prevent their vertical movement; a projection at each sideof the back leaf of the book adjacent its upper edge; and stops, theouter faces of which are engageable by said projections to prevent theback leaf falling backward.

3. In an account file, the combination of a plurality of account holdingleaves hinged together so that they may be turned to substantiallyvertical or horizontal position; a resiliently supported, verticallymovable table on which the leaves are supported; pins projecting fromthe hinges of the leaves at each side; a restraining bar at each sidemovable to and from its normal position in which it is engaged by thesaid pins to prevent their vertical movement; a projection at each sideof the back leaf of the book adjacent its upper edge; and bearings forsaid projections open at their upper side whereby when the restrainingbars are raised the projections may lift out of the bearings.

4. An account file constructed as set forth in claim 1 provided with avertical guide bar at each side of the table extending up substantiallyto the restraining bars, when the latter are in normal position andprovided with short forwardly inclined extensions at their upper ends,the projections from the hinges of said leaves lying behind'said guidebars when the leaves are horizontal; links pivotally connected with thefront leaf, one

at each side at its hinges; and. a projection on each link engaging onthe front side of v the adjacent guide bar.

5. An account file constructed as set forth in claim 3 in which the openbearings for the upper projections of the back leaf are adjustable to aplurality of positions at different distances from the front of theapparatus.

6. An account file constructed as set forth in claim 3 in which thebearin for the upper projections of the back lea comprise bars suitablysupported in a fore-andaft position, and a plurality of short lugssecured to said bars at different distances from the front of theapparatus.

7 In an account file, the combination of a plurality of account holdingleaves hinged together so that they may be turned to substantiallyvertical or horizontal position; a resiliently supported, verticallymovable table on which the leaves are supported; pins projecting fromthe hinges of the leaves at each side; a restraining bar at each sideadapted to be engaged by the said pins to prevent their verticalmovement; and supporting means engageable by the upper part of the backleaf to prevent said leaf falling backward.

Signed at Trenton, Ontario, this eighteenth day of February, 1920.

, WILSON BARR. Witnesses:

VILSON BARR, J r., H. J. SMITH.

